WATCH: Wales Rally GB to drop Llandudno's Great Orme stage

Concerns for tourism business in Llandudno with organisers poised to ditch the Great Orme in favour of other stages

Llandudno's Great Orme is set to be dropped from the Wales Rally GB this winter, rally organisers said today ahead of next week's official announcement.

The move has sparked an outcry from supporters including the Llandudno Hospitality Association which is concerned about lost business for the town.

Ben Buesnel, a Wales Rally GB spokesman in Surrey, said today: “We are losing the Orme as the FIA (Federation Internationale de l’Automobile) wanted more stage mileage but we are gaining a couple of other (stages).”

It is expected that the route, which must be approved by FIA governing body, will also be missing three forest, night stages which featured last year.

It will be “75% to 80%” similar to last year’s route, Wales Rally GB said.

A formal announcement on the route for this year’s November 14-November 16 motoring event is due next week.

There could be a ceremonial start on the Thursday evening and a Powerstage at midday on Sunday.

But Berin Jones, Llandudno Hospitality Association chairman, said losing the Great Orme would be a blow for the town.

He said: “It would be a shame if they didn’t use the Great Orme. It would be very disappointing.

"I believe it puts us on the world map when it is included.”

Mr Jones, who runs a guesthouse in Llandudno, said last year’s rally was beneficial for hoteliers and guesthouse owners not only during the Llandudno events but also in subsequent months as TV viewers arrive as tourists.

The future of the Wales Rally GB's return to Conwy county was decided in January this year after a commitment of continued financial backing by the Welsh Government.

Cllr Graham Rees, Cabinet Member for Tourism, Marketing and Leisure said: “We haven’t received confirmation of the Wales Rally GB 2014 route yet, but we fully expect locations in Conwy County Borough to feature as we’re the official host county of this year’s event.

“The Council has been working closely with the organisers and we’re looking forward to the announcement.

“Wales Rally GB continues to provide a great opportunity to promote Wales to the world as a destination for both events and tourism.

"2013 images of Conwy County have, and will be seen by up to 500 million viewers worldwide in some 160 countries, emphasising the natural beauty of the area and our ability to host world class events.

"The economic value of the event for Conwy County has been identified by the Rally organisers as £2million, and £10million for Wales as a whole.”

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Mark Thoma

Liverpool-born Mark joined the Daily Post in January 2014 after seven years as editor of its Merseyside sister title the Liverpool Post. He started out as a weekly news reporter on Wirral Newspapers, and spent seven years at the Daily Post and Liverpool Echo. He was The Press Association's regional correspondent for North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire from 1983 to 1997, before returning to the ECHO as deputy news editor. He has won a number of journalism awards, including the UK Press Gazzette Regional Reporter of the Year award, and in 1993 wrote a book on the James Bulger murder.